took a right turn at Albuquerque

It's still growing, but my quilt took a right turn at Albuquerque... If I may quote Bugs Bunny!  

I cut a huge pile of HST's tomake the card trick block, so it may end up with a crazy border  yet...

With perhaps an actual card trick block...Gotta love the fleeting moments of Aha's!

success!

OK, attempt number three.. after two attempts went into the garbage can.. Ihave now 

finally made a proper block... in solids. per instruction! yippee!

I don't  know why I chose such hideous colors...

I will be cutting THIS one block up... I don't want to make another...LOL!

But I will be happy to take a rotary cutter to this!

stay tuned!

( don't know why this block made me want to pull my hair out...)

 

 Stay tuned for the final.... to be cont'd

Shades of Gray / Take 2

Still looks like a Card Trick.....or maybe a Star? No lines have been moved, but a bit of flipping and changing tones has happened. I used a bluish gray and a rosy gray and a pale neutral here....plus my favorite black.

Derivations Continue ....

Slowly evolving into controlled chaos ....

Shades of Gray

This block looks so minimalist in solids. Am hoping to vary it in more shades of gray. Liking it so far.....

I Got To Thinking . . .

. . . before I start posting about the new challenge, I really should post what I made from the last one . . .

I used my Lotta fabrics to make a table runner.
After the fact, I realize that some of these fabrics don't work so well cut up in tiny pieces. I like my idea, I just wish I'd done something different with these fabrics. I may try this on a larger scale some other time with different smaller-scale fabrics or even solids (in bigger pieces). I think it'll work much better that way.

But, what's done is done, and I've moved on.

Seein' as how the first rule of the new game says: "Using Only SOLIDS . . . " and I didn't have enough solids in my stash to even shake a stick at, I had to order some. They got here Saturday, so I stayed up late last night after getting home to make my first original Card Tricks block.I had to sit in the hospital with my sister for the last few days (and I still have some more babysitting to do while she recuperates) so I've had plenty of time to play with my sketchbook, and I came up with a big idea for my Card Tricks blocks, so as soon as I get time in my studio, I'm gonna keep on going with this. More later . . .

Block #3 and then some

Today, I spent a little bit of time constructing a copy of block #2 so I could alter it.  Here it is for reference.

As I was construction each quadrant, I had a brainstorm, of sorts.  I decided now was a good time to add pieces for an inner border.  After I got each quadrant put together, I found that I could put them together in four different ways.

I think these are all sort of interesting.  I think I will make all four using different colors and built a small quilt with them plus the original two.  If I get really ambitious, I may try a few more variations.  I can already see a couple that would be naturals.  Hmmmm.  I hope I can find more of that green since I would like to keep it as the unifying color, but if I can't, I will just have to find something else.  I do love to consider the possibilities.

Another Variation

So I made a change on the second block

(maybe the 4 cards in the middle are more obvious)

and

then ...

Second Block

This was more difficult than I imagined!

Maybe I'm over-thinking the challenge

or

maybe I've got a perceptual problem

related to this block!

Finished!

This quilt has become a dear friend.

We've traveled everywhere together this summer!

I DO need to stitch the binding down in back...

but that won't take long.

Silly question:

Is someone handing out EXTRA credit points

for hand quilting our challenge projects???

Wink. wink.!!!

Diving in

I dug through my solids and found enough to create at least eight blocks in colors I like.  I decided I was going to do this right, finally.  I measured carefully, cut carefully, sewed carefully, and pressed carefully.  It paid off on a block with only one lost point!  Of course, I had to make two because I have decided to cut mine apart for the second apparition.  I interpreted the challenge as making each block as a variation of the one just before it.  So, without further ado, I give you number 2.

I cut the copy of the first block in quarters.  I then rotated each square until I got this pattern.  I can already see a much easier way to recreate this block for the next step.  I am not sure what comes next, but it will be fun.  I will have to switch colors a bit, but that will be just as much fun.  I don't know where this is going to lead me, or how long I will keep going, but I am now over the first hump.  Cause for celebration around here.

Discovery

Yesterday I also got frustrated.

The few blue triangles I had cut out

kept falling off the wall as I moved them around.

And I didn't have enough of one color to make "cards"

and keep track of what I was trying to accomplish.

So I cut out 4 squares of paper for the 4 cards.

Then on each piece I made one slit half way down to the center.

I started at the middle of 1 side & stopped in the middle of the square.

This allowed me to fold under the hidden quarter for all the cards.

(It's easier for me to see the block as a "whole"

rather than a bunch of triangles.)

What I am working on above is distortion ...

the square cards are now rectangles.

learning

 I learned something about myself today...

Rarely do I pick out a particular group of fabrics, 

and lay them out in a planned 

quilt sort of way and make blocks.

Anytime I have done this, I never finished the quilt... I realized, 

I am not actually good at this.

I tend to put every color together, 50 different fabrics all in one block and away I go... 

For me trying to pick THREE to use... Made me insane... 

I screwed up my first block, then took it apart to fix it, screwed it up again.... 

and well, this block went in to the trash... after I crumpled it up...

I do, of course, realize I didn't NEED to just PICK three, 

I just thought it was a fun way to start,

since it's a different way for me to work, so why not?

I like a challenge... usually!

 I cut up 8 different fabrics trying to get a  triad I liked...

HST's anyone?  I have a bunch!

Alas, I got the FIRST block done.  I started at 8 it's now noon. eek! sorry 1pm.

I messed this up too... I ran out of orange and had to piece fabric 

together after I cut the orange 

the wrong size... sigh.

Now to go about my usual way on all the others! LOL!

Card Trick

This is my first card trick block ever.

(And now I understand Miki's original comment!)

As you can see I might work with only blues ...

that is still one of those "what if" questions.

Next the FUN begins!

card trick

Here's the card trick block.

And here it is with the outside squares flipped out.

Here it is using four colors.

And with the four inside squares flipped out.

I DID contemplate making this wonky....

but I didn't.

Instead......

I made some table mats for a bi-monthly meal

that I prepare for senior citizens.

I just added a 2 1/2" border to the blocks....

flannel on the back...a little quilting.....

Viola!

Ready for FALL!

Still going around in circles

I know there's another challenge underway, but I've been on summer schedule with my sewing (aka not much going on here) and so I'm still playing with the Lotta fabrics Victoria sent us.

I've pieced together this set of circles in a nine patch, which measures about 22 inches square.

I used up the other charms in four patches as well as some fancy circles too.

Now I'm wondering where to go next. These are a bit too big for pillows, but the wrong size for my sewing machine cover, which was the other plan.

Anyone have an idea for me?

Another thing: I'm having difficulty commenting on blogs lately, more than usual.

This is the message I'm getting when I try to comment:

Your current account  does not have access to view this page.

                            Click here to logout and change accounts.

Anyone else with that problem?

October Challenge for Modern 8 Create!

Hi All ...

Hope you are looking forward to the next challenge!

Here it is!

Using only SOLIDS:

1. Make a traditional Card Trick quilt block any size you wish.

2. Make it again but change or distort it in some way(s) -

for example, size, color, proportion, orientation. In other words,

play with it!

3. Using your second block as your model, change it some more.

4. Keep repeating this process - always use the last completed

block to change or distort the next.

5. Make as many blocks as you want.

Your piece will be whatever size you want it to be.

6. Sew your blocks together ... if they are different sizes and you

want a rectangular quilt, add fabric wherever necessary.

Have fun creating! Post some sneak peaks and your finishes.